Numbers of the world's smallest pig are set to receive a boost in India following the success of a captive breeding programme in the north-east.

The pygmy hogs, which stand only about 25 to 30cm from the ground, were thought to be extinct in the 1960s in their habitats around India, Nepal and Bhutan, but the species was later rediscovered in 1971 in Assam.

Six wild hogs, two male and four females were the basis of the breeding programme, which began in March 1996.

Now, three small families of hogs, numbering 16 in total are due to be released into the wild, following an 18-week stint in a pre-release enclosure, designed to limit their contact with humans and imitate conditions in the wild.

The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, which set up the programme, and local partners EcoSystems-India, have been working closely with local communities in Assam to increase awareness of the species and increase their chances of survival.

India is a country rich in diverse wildlife and it now has two-dozen tiger reserves dedicated to the protection of one of the world's most endangered animals.

It is also home to many hundreds of species of birds and 80 per cent of the world's population of one-horned rhinos.

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